Psychology, General at Lander University
SC · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 42.01
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Psychology, General degree from Lander University earn a median salary of $42,135 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in SC, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $44,259. The degree typically pays for itself in 22.5 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$33,831
Typical Career
$42,135
Top Performers
$50,863
Estimated break-even: 22.5 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$281
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,511. Most students can comfortably afford about a $281 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in South Carolina buys what costs $0.95 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Retail Trade.
Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$44,259
Nominal: $42,135 in South Carolina (COL 95.2% of national avg) · 5% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $23,083 | $29,070 | $37,498 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $33,831 | $42,135 | $50,863 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $39,096 | $49,425 | $60,361 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $42,135 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in SC, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $42,135 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9520)
= $44,259 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
Graduates predominantly enter the Health Care & Social Assistance (25.2%) and Educational Services (23.9%) sectors, with a smaller percentage in Retail Trade (6.7%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 22.5 years, suggesting that while the degree may take time to yield a financial advantage, it can lead to stable career opportunities in growing industries. Overall, the return on investment for this degree may be favorable for those committed to long-term career development in psychology-related fields.
AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.
Compare with Another School
See how the Psychology, General degree at Lander University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.